EARLY WARNING - Year End, Tax Season & Phishing

EARLY WARNING

Year End, Tax Season & Phishing


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting April 2011.

For the record, I am not suggesting for one moment that phishing only takes place at ‘Tax Time’ – we all know that it continues to take place on a daily basis.

We all know that if we get a mail from the ‘bank’ instructing us to update or upgrade or download or check our details on line, it’s a scam and that all that you actually need to do is delete the mail and think no more about it.

Similarly getting an e-mail from SARS (South African Revenue Services) asking you click on the link and update, upgrade, download or confirm your details etc., is also a scam.

In fact don’t ever respond to mail from anywhere that gives you a link to update, update, download or confirm details – rather go onto the physical site by typing in the URL (the www address) and follow any instructions on there.

Just don’t do it – you will be giving unsavory individuals access to your banking account or to your confidential information at SARS or your service provider.

Of course the other scam that many have experienced over the last couple of years is the one where you get a phone call from someone who says that they are calling from SARS. The story goes something along the lines of :-

“My name is Joe Badman and I am calling from SARS. We have refunded you incorrectly. Instead of refunding you the R8576.27 that was due to you, we have refunded you in the amount of R88 576.27. Please could you refund the excess amount of R80 000.00 to our account at XYZ bank branch code 123 in the name of SARS. The refund must be executed by close of business today or you will be liable for penalties and interest.”

You of course, check your bank account and lo and behold, there’s the exact amount as a credit and well, you have been expecting a refund of about R8 000.00 from SARS, so it must be correct and you don’t want to incur additional costs, so you had better make the transfer . . . .

STOP! Don’t do that! What you will discover in the next day or two is that the payment of R88 576.27 will bounce (it’s usually a stolen cheque you see) and you will be left R80 000.00 (plus bank charges) out of pocket.

Here’s the thing – SARS will never ask you to refund them – if (and let me be very clear on this), “if” they have made a mistake like this (and that is highly unlikely), as the South African Revenue Service, they have not only the ability but also the legal right to access your bank account and refund themselves.

What you do need to do is get hold of the “Fraud Division” of SARS, as well as your own bank and report this.

Understanding or knowledge of the various scams that take place means that hopefully you are aware of what can happen and you can protect yourself accordingly.

Using common sense and logic and understanding that if something ‘sounds too good to be true’, usually means that it is.

Don’t let yourself be tempted into situations that ‘sound too good to be true’ by desperation and/or greed. You will be the one that will suffer the consequences.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za